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WEEK OF MARCH 20, 2025
VOLUME 159 | ISSUE 12
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New bill would help muffle commercial truck noise BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
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City Manager Scott Vargo even used the catchphrase “design in 2025,” saying the city will be designing several projects this year, with construction slated for 2026 or later. This includes: - The new Lions Park playground and sidewalks, which will improve safety and accessibility around the park; - The East Amenity Zone, which is the city’s term for the connective tissue between Parfet and Vanover parks, the Tucker Gulch Trail and the future municipal center site at 311 10th St. - An underpass under Ford Street, which will help pedestrians walk along the north side of Clear Creek from Vanover Park, particularly during high-volume traffic in the summertime. Additionally, the city and its architects are refining the final designs for Golden’s forthcoming municipal center and police headquarters. Vargo said the city is scheduled to break ground on it late this spring or early summer.
Almost 10 years ago, when Casey Brown was running for Golden City Council, one of the most common concerns he heard was about traffic-related noise. With so many highways in and around Golden city limits — many of which are main routes to and from local quarries — Goldenites have long complained about noise from commercial trucks frequenting the area. Although not all trucks are noisy, hearing noises that loud that often has impacted Goldenites’ quality of life, Brown described. “We tend to think of the noise from trucks as being a nuisance,” he said. “But, it’s far more than a nuisance; it’s a public health hazard.” While the city now has several sound-wall segments in the works, state legislators are working on another solution to help reduce commercial truckrelated noise not just in Golden, but across Colorado. HB25-1039, which addresses commercial vehicle muffler requirements, is currently working its way through the legislature. If approved, it would give law enforcement officers new methods to enforce the current muffler requirement for all commercial vehicles. Rep. Brianna Titone, who represents the Golden area, is one of the bill’s sponsors. Joining her are Rep. Lesley Smith and Sen. Dylan Roberts, both of whom represent Clear Creek County among other jurisdictions. The bill has bipartisan support, and the City of Golden recently endorsed it. It also has industry support from the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, its President Greg Fulton confirmed.
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People sit and wait for the State of the City address to start March 6 at the Golden Community Center. The city played a video recapping last year’s projects, and Mayor Laura Weinberg outlined Golden’s goals for 2025. PHOTOS BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
‘Design in 2025’
the March 6 State of the City event. “Nobody reGolden focusing on alreadyally knows at this point.” emphasized how, for Golden, 2025 will be budgeted projects amid uncertainty “aShe year to complete projects” the city has already started. Some are ready for groundbreaking with federal, state funding while others haven’t started design. BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLOROADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
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During the COVID-19 pandemic and other situations in the early 2020s, the motto “Survive until 2025” was widely used by the American film industry and other sectors. Now that 2025 is here, though, there’s still major economic uncertainty amid the Trump Administration’s decisions on tariffs, wide-scale layoffs of federal employees, market downturns and other factors. With all this in mind, Golden Mayor Laura Weinberg said that the city won’t be introducing any major new policies, projects or programs this year. Instead, Golden will focus on projects it’s already budgeted for and further goals it’s already adopted. “There are so many uncertainties right now … around (federal and state) funding availability, around policy changes,” Weinberg said during
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